Adjustable foot and leg rest for car seats



y 3, 1951 J. c. LYON 2,559,127

ADJUSTABLE FOOT AND LEG REST FOR CAR SEATS Filed Nov. 27, 1945 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 [NVENTOR JoPmClyom A TTORNE Y y 3, 1951 J. c. LYON 2,559,127

ADJUSTABLE FOOT AND LEG REST FOR CAR SEATS Filed Nov. 27, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ilii r E 1 v 1 John CLyon,

BY v

A TTORNE Y July 3, 1951 J. c. LYON ADJUSTABLE FOOT AND LEG REST FOR CAR SEATS.

Filed Nov. 27, 1945 3 Swets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR John Clyoru 444, ATTORNEY Patented July 3, 1951 ADJUSTABLE FOOT AND LEG BEST FOR CAR SEATS John 0. Lyon, Upper Darby, Pa., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Heywood-Wakefield Company, Gardner, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application November 27, 1945, Serial No. 631,124

The invention relates to reclining seats and more particularly to seats for railway cars or other vehicles.

The invention is outstandingly concerned with improvements in the operating mechanisms for the leg rest and the foot rest for a seat of the type used in vehicles, especially in railway cars.

Among the objects of the invention are to provide mechanisms of the indicated type which are easy to operate, are of simple construction and are so rugged and durable as to withstand the many years of use to which seats for railway cars and other vehicles are subjected.

Among the more specific objects of the invention is the provision of an operating mechanism for the foot rest which is of such compact construction as to be housed in the interior of the leg rest and which likewise can be adjusted and operated by the seat occupant in many different positions with ease and without requiring the occupant to leave the seat.

Further objects and advantages, as well as the features of the invention and the details thereof, will become apparent from the embodiment illustrated in the attached drawing and described in the following:

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of two combined seats with the seat cushions removed and the leg rest cushion of the one seat removed, whereas the entire leg rest of the other seat is removed so as to show the construction therebehind;

Figure 2 is a side elevation partly in section viewed in the direction of the arrows and the section taken along line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal fragmentary section taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figures 4 through '7 are fragmentary sections taken along the correspondingly numbered lines of Figure 1; and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary section taken along line 88 of Figure 7.

The structures for supporting the seats on the floor and for revolving the seat are not shown and described in detail because they form the subject matter of the inventors simultaneous application Revolving Seat, Especially for Railway Cars.

Figure 1 shows fragmentary parts of the floor I and one side wall 2 of a railway car. Mounted partly on the floor and partly on the projecting portion of heater duct 4 along the side wall is a pair of seats, Figure 1. Two rows of such double seats may be arranged along the opposite side Walls of a railway car or other vehicle, leavthe seat support ll.

ing an aisle between them.

Each pair of seats comprises the following main elements: Two stationary floor supports 1 and 8 in addition to the support afforded by heater duct end supporting arm rest structures 9, a separating arm rest structure [0, a supporting structure II for the seat cushions l2, a pair of back rests I3, and a pair of leg rests l4 each with a foot rest I5.

The structure II which is in the general form of a trough with a bottom wall 15, a back wall i! and a front wall 18 extends between and is structurally connected to the end walls 9 and supports and is likewise structurally connected to the intermediate arm rest I0. 19 and 20 .are reinforcements welded to the bottom wall I6 of A panel 2| curved in cross section, which may form one piece with the rear wall i1, is secured, as by welding, to the bottom wall l6 and to the lower margin of the reinforcing rail 20. This panel 21 constitutes together with the members ll and 2|! and the bottom wall I6 two closed box sectional structures which contribute to the strength of the seat support H. The members I9, 20 and 2! are likewise secured to the end structures 9 and also to the intermediate arm rest [0.

The leg rest l4 comprises a cushion 54 covered with a fabric covering 55 and a supporting structure for the cushion. This supporting structure has a main bottom panel 56 secured at its upper margin to a tubular transverse member 51 and reinforced along its bottom margin by an upstanding fiange 58. Along each side, the panel 56 is likewise provided with an upstanding flange 59 which is secured, as by welding, to the upstanding web or bottom wall 66 of a channel section member 6| having outwardly directed side walls 62 and inturned flanges 63.

The members 6| extend beyond the inner or upper margin of the panel 56 and beyond the member 5'! to the ends of which they are secured, see right side of Figure 1. The members 6i adjacent the middle arm rest [0 are rotatably supported on the ends of the short shaft 64 forming part of a bracket 65 secured to the structure 10. The upper ends of the outer arms 6| are keyed to a stub shaft 66 which is rotatably supported in bearings 61 of the end structure 9 and is provided with two cylindrical portions 68 separated from each other by a groove 69. The portions 68 are each provided with a number of recesses HI in such manner that the recesses of the one memher 68 are circumferentially offset with respect to the recesses of the other member 68.

A link H has its one end extended into the groove 69 and journalled to the portions 68 by a pin 52 and its other end journalled at 13 to a shoe 14 and a second link 15, which latter is journalled at E6 to the frame member 32. The shoe 74 supports one end of a compression spring 71, the other end of which rests against the member 18 which is turn presses againsta bracket 19 secured to the frame member 33; The shoe 14 is connected with a tubular shaft 80 which extends through the spring 11 which is shown broken away centrally, and is slidingl-y surrounded by the shoe l8 and the bracket 79 so as tohold the shoe 18 and the spring H in proper alignment. The arrangement of the members II :to 19 is such hold for the feet of the occupant.

that the spring endeavors to turn the members 68 with the shaft 86 and thereby to swing 'the entire leg rest l4 into itsraised position.

For holding the foot rest M in the desired elevation, one of the recesses 10 on the members 68 is engaged by the tooth iii of one of the two levers 82. The levers 82 are journalled side-byside to the frame member 32 at 83 and are pressed toward the members 68 by a spring or springs 84, one end of which is visible in Figure 2. A spring biased button 85 is guided in the frame member 3| just below the previously'described finger grip 41 and, when pushed inward against the spring pressure, pushes the upper ends of both levers 82 inwardly and thereby holds the teeth 8| out of engagement with the members 68 and their recesses H3. The provision of the two members 68, of the two rows of recesses 10 and of the two levers '81 with one tooth each allows a greater number of adjustments than could be obtained with only one of these members. Note that only one of the teeth 8! engages at a time one of the recesses 18 while the other tooth rests between or adjacent the recesses 70 against its member 68.

For adjusting the elevation of the leg rest, an occupant has merely to push the button 85 inwardly and then, if he wants the leg rest raised, to lift his legs to the desired position, whereupon the leg rest will follow the legs under the influence of the spring 1'! and the lever system H to 16, or, when lowering of the leg rest is desired, he has, after pushing the button 85 inwardly, to press his legs downwardly so as to overcome the resistance of the spring 11.

The front edge of the seat cushion [2 has a cylindrical portion 86 (Figure 4) arranged concentrically to the axis of the leg rest support shafts 64 and 6B and on its underside it is supported by an extension 81 of the front wall l8 of the cushion supporting structure II. This extension 81 is likewise curved in cross section concentrically to the axis of the leg rest attachment. The underside of the cylindrical portion 86 is recessed adjacent and the supporting portion 8'! ends short of the structures 9 and ID so as to make room for the upper ends of rails SI of the leg rest, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 7. The leg rest cushion 54 has its upper margin concavely shaped concentrically to the leg rest supporting axis, leaving merely a narrow space 88 between it and the aforesaid cylindrical portions 88, 8?. This arrangement provides for a front edge of the seat cushion of sufiicient softness while on the other hand a narrow space only is left between the front edge of the seat cushion and the leg rest which is essentially for'the comfort of the occupant.

a transverse member 89 and two lateral rails 90 which have their outer ends secured to the rail 89 by screw bolts 9|. The cross member 89 may have a main web portion 92 and lower arm or flange 93 directed toward the side and an upwardly cylindrically rolled-injpolftion 94. This structure 92 to 94 is covered by a. member 95 of soft rubber or a similar material giving a good The connectionbetween the ,members 89 and 90 comprises The bolt 9| arrangement permit the angular adjustment of the member-89 with respect to the rails 90 about a transverse axis.

'The rails 99 each consist of an inwardly facing channel with a bottom wall 98, side Walls or Web 99 and inturned flanges I88. Secured to the upper .one of the sidewalls "99 is a tooth rack 10]- which may extend over the entire :length of the respective memberi98. The member 90 is slidably guided in the side'rails SI of the leg rest by means of wear plates 192,193, respectively secured to the outside of the rail 90 and the inside of the rail 6|. These plates serve simultaneously for limiting the outward 'movement of the rails 90. The .rails '98 and 9! are curved in side view, as clearly shown in several of the figures. This is for the purpose ofelevating the foot rest member 89 above the surface of. the leg :rest cushion when the foot rest is in its outwardly projected position, whereas when thelfoot rest is retracted, it projects a small distance only above the le rest, as shown in Figure 4.

The operating mechanism forthe foot rest is supported entirely by the leg rest .with the exception ofthe aforementioned rack lill. *A transverse shaft 184 supportedin bearings I85 secured to the side walls 55 of the panel 56 *of the legrest, carries on each .ofits ends a pinionlfifiwhich in turn meshes with the respective tooth rack 10 l. A torsionspring I91 surrounding the shaft I04 has one of its ends in engagement with said shaft and the other end in engagement with the sup porting structure of 'the leg rest, such as with the member. 59. This spring is so arranged and adjusted that it will retract the foot rest by means of the shaft lfl L'the pinions'liifi and the racks IIJI to the innermost position unless prevented from doing so.

For holdin'g the foot rest in any 'desired'position of outward extension, each of the racks UN is also engaged by a pawllElS. These pawis are supported by and firmly connected with the ends of a transverse shaft liw which is likewise rotatably supported in thestructure256 and are'held in the engaging position by a torsion spring; 1 ill. An operating rod H! is journalled tola projecting arm. H2 of the'shaft [89 land slidably engaged in a bracket l 53 of the structure 56. The other end of the rod! H is;provided with across piece 1 I I4 ending in an operating handle I I5 and extending outwardly throughaa space (not shown) left between thetop of the respective side railfil and themarginal portion of the leg rest cushion 54.

The: shaftslxlf! 1 189, .:the torsion springs l 97, H 8, the bearings 1'95; the lever i2 :and-the adjoining. .end :of therod El II are covered by a transverse channel v sectioninember H5 which is secured mouth-downtoithe panel "59. This The foot rest It comprises as its main elements 7. member I It not only supports the-seat cushion 54 spaced from the aforesaid parts of the op erating mechanism for the foot rest but also constitutes at the same time a reinforcement for the supporting structure of the leg rest.

For adjustment of the foot rest, the occupant has to pull the handle or finger grip H thereby disengaging the pawls 98, whereupon he may either push the leg rest outwardly by pressing his feet against the cross member 89 or he may allow the foot rest to move inwardly under the action of the spring I97 by withdrawing his feet. Upon release of the handle I I5, the rack l0l will be reengaged by the pawls I68 and thereby the foot rest stopped in the new position.

Minor details of the structure, most of which are customary in seats of this type, have not been described in detail, but will, of course, be supplied, such as for instance, the upholstered, removable, top members H7 secured to the arm rest structures 9 and i9 and the fabric covering for the different cushions, which latter may consist of sponge rubber moldings, and the widened portion H8 of the front of the middle arm rest housing the tuning devices (not shown) for the individual broadcast reception devices.

While one embodiment of the invention is shown and described in detail, obviously many modifications are conceivable without departing from the invention as covered by the attached claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a seat especially for railway cars and other vehicles, comprising a seat structure, a leg rest attached to the front margin of said structure swingably about a substantially horizontal axis, a foot rest provided with lateral arms slidably guided in said leg rest for inward and outward movement, a tooth rack secured to at least one of said arms, a pinion engaging said tooth rack and rotatably supported in said leg rest, a spring means between said leg rest and said pinion endeavoring to rotate the pinion so as to push the foot rest inwardly, a releasable stopping means for holding said foot rest in different desired positions against the action of the spring and against pressure exerted on the foot rest by the feet of an occupant.

2. In a seat especially for railway cars and the like, comprising a leg rest and a foot rest, a pair of arms on said foot rest slidably guided on the said leg rest for inward and outward movement, a tooth rack on each of said arms, a pinion for each of said racks and in driving engagement therewith, a common shaft carrying on its ends said pinions and rotatably supported with the latter in the leg rest, a coil spring surrounding said shaft and engaging same with one of its ends whereas its other end engages a portion of said leg rest, said coil spring being stressed in torsion so as to push the foot rest inwardly by means of said shaft, said pinions and said tooth racks, releasable stopping means between said leg rest and said foot rest for holding the latter in any position of adjustment against the action of the spring and against the pressure exerted by an occupant on the foot rest.

3. In a vehicle seat according to claim 1, said stopping means engaging said tooth rack.

4. In a vehicle seat according to claim 2, said stopping means comprising a shaft spaced from and parallelly arranged tosaid shaft carrying the pinions, said second shaft carrying means on its ends engaging said tooth racks.

JOHN C. LYON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 134,733 Collins Jan. 14, 1873 156,772 Collins Nov. 10, 1874 196,506 Vose Oct. 23, 1877 205,070 Fernquist June 18, 1878 513,169 Armstrong Jan. 23, 1894 920,854 Flindall May 4, 1909 945,928 Fowler Jan. 11, 1910 988,600 Simpson Apr. 4, 1911 1,047,462 Taylor Dec. 13, 1912 1,224,982 Washeim May 8, 1917 1,334,771 McClary Mar. 23, 1920 2,217,352 Todd Oct. 8, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 73,749 Germany Mar. 10, 1894 

